Mining-machine



(No Model) i 4 Sheets8heet l.

I E. s. MGKINLAY.

MINING MACHINE. No. 551,508. Pai-,55555 De@e 17, 1895.

E. S. MGKINLAY.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Modem MINING MACHINE.

No. 551,508. Patented Dec. 17, 1895.

.Illrrll H Tizi/miur mw ANDREW BSBIHAMPHOTBU'KG-WASNINGTUKD C (No Model)4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

E. S. MGKINLAY. MINING MACHINE.

Patented Dee. 17, 1895.

IllliL (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E. S. MGKINLAY.

MINING MAENB;

Patented Dec. 17, 1895.

l No. 51,508.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

EDVARD S. MCKINLAY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

MINING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent N o. 551,508, datedDecember 17, 1895.

Application filed July ll, 1888. Serial No. 279,696. (No model.)

To @ZZ wwm it may concer/t:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. MCKINLAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mining-"lilachines,of which the following' is a specification, refer ence being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for mining coal, itpertaining more especially to machines of the kind used in the longwallsystem of mining, in contradistincticn to what are known as headingmachines.

illy improved mechanism comprises a frame adapted to be made stationaryto serve as a bed and as a support for the moving parts; a carriage ortraveling frame adapted to move forward and back on the said bed; acutting mechanism, preferably of the form of a horizontally-mountcd barrevolving on its longitudinal axis and shod with cutters; abracing-frame behind the cutter-bar, with a bearing for the outer end ofthe latter, and extending backward andvoutward to the carriage, it beingpreferably more or less nearly triangular in general outline; powerdevices on the carriage for eifecting the rotation of the cuttingmechanism, and means for feeding forward the carriage when the cuttersare in operation.

Of course I am aware of the fact that heretofore miningmachines havebeen used, or proposed, having more or less of the features ofconstruction above broadly suggested; but serious difficulties have beenexperienced in attempting to operate the machines of the earlier forms,and as a result of them I have been led to the present improvedconstruction.

In the drawings I have showui one form of the machine embodying thefeatures of improvement, this being selected for purposes ofillustration, and it will be readily seen by those skilled in suchdevices that there can be more or less modification without departv ingfrom the spirit of the invention.

Figure l. is a top plan view of one of the improved machines. Fig. 2 isa plan of some of the parts, the others being removed to more clearlyshow the relations of those illustrated.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. l is a vertical transverse section onthe line ai, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar section on the line y 11j, Fig.3. Fig. (i is a transverse section on the line z e, Fig. 2. Fig. is apartial longitudinal section of the feed-cylinder and its piston androd. Fig. S is a partial top plan view of the same. Fig. 9 is averticalsection showing the coupling for the side bars of the bed. Fig. lO showsthe cutter-supporting frame. Figs. 1l, l2, and I3 show a machinemodified in the driving-motor.

As shown in the drawings, the bed-frame is mainly composed of tubes AA', they being preferred on account of. the greater strength inproportion to the weight of metal, though a framing can be constructedof other wellknown parts. This frame can be made as long as is required.I have shown a simple and advantageous method of uniting thetube-sections longitudinally. U, is a short section of tubing of anexterior diameter equal to the interior diameter of the tubes A A. It isutilized by inserting it part way into the adjacent'ends of thetube-sections- It can be fastened to one of the tubes permanently and tothe other detachably, or it can be made rigid with both as requirementsmay dictate. This frame is fastened in place by means of j ack-screws,with frames and girts joining one side tube A with the other A. Thejoining girts or bars are formed with a central part B or nipples Cintegral with the eyepiece B', the

of the latter there are wrench-rods tlg by which the screws can beturned so as to lift the parts B A A' upward.

E E represent jack-screws each having a IOO hand-wheel E" and beingadapted to engage with a threaded eye E2 carried by the large stirrupE3. The lower ends of the legs of the latter iit into sockets at E'l onthe cross-bar B. The screws E are adapted to reach up to and be forcedagainst the roof of the mine and when they are turned in the properdirections they firmly bind the framework in proper position. Io Bymeans of the screws D the `machine can be adjusted relatively to thehorizon into any position ordinarily required, and at the same e timethe said screws can be utilized to co-operate with the screws E toiirmly brace the I5 whole machine.

The tubes A .A/ serve as a support for the operating and movable part-sof the mechanism. The latter comprise the power devices and the cuttingdevices and such means for supporting them as will constitute a suitablecarriage.

l prefer to provide f-our large eyepeces F F' F2 F3 and to cast themintegral with the carriage-plate having the cross-bar portion-s ff andthe longitudinal connecting part f2;

but these or their equivalents may be mad-.e separately and securedtogether in any .suitable way.

4 o The parts F F' at the rear .of the carriage are-v formed with seatsat h upon which the enginecylinders H are bolted. F3 of thecarriage areprojected upward som-ew-hat and are formed with bearings for thecrank-shaft I, the vcranks t .1 of which are respec-tively connectedwith the engines. The crank-shaft carries a gear-wheel J which mesheswith a wheel J on Va horizontal .axis

incr nearly .in the plane of the carriage-.plate 5o ff' f2, .and whichin tur-n drives :a pinion .J2

connected with a Vcutting mechanism to be The carriage-plate isprojectedl forward .somewhat as .at F4 to provide suilil Ycientstrengthand is .formed ithaniopeningj 5 5 to permit the mountingof thewheel 5. r[his described.

shaft j is mounted in boneslat j which .are

carried by pilates ,i2 bolted to the .top 4of the omhge'plate :as .shown.at jl,

Through the .parts last described power is 6o transmitted from theengines to the .cutterbar, which .is indicated as a whole .by K IKC Theforward eye parts F2 F3 Volf the carriage are eX-tended downwardsomewhat below the s tubes A A' and .are formed with vtransversebearings at 7o yk' in which the cutter-bar K isf` The cutter-bar is`extended latermounted.

The eyepieces F F F2 F3 have an interior diameter such that they can ntsnugly 'The front pants F2 LS, which is preferably hollow, as shown.

ally from the side of the machine to the required distance and thelaterally-extended portion is provided with cutters 7a2. If preferred,the projecting part K may be made 7o separately from the part K mountedon the carriage; but under most circumstances l prefer to make them inone piece.

At the outer end the cutter-bar has a supplemental bearing in a shoe L,which is formed upon or secured to a bracing-frame that is situated backof the cutter-bar. This frame as a whole is indicated by fm, it having,when `made as shown, a bar or plate m which lies substantially parallelto the line of the cutterbar and a backwardly and outwardly extendingbar or plate m', and one or more crossbars m2. The part m is bolted tothe rear eyepiece F of the carriage and preferably joins the part m nearthe shoe and bearing at 8 5 L. Thus the bracing-frame gives a strong andiirin support for the cutter-bar, preventing bending or displacement ofthe latter if any of the cutters .should strike a hard un yieldingsubstance. This frame also supports 9o the mechanism which removes tbecuttings from behind the cutter-bar. The part m is extended across themachine under the carriage to the `Opposite end of the cutter-shaft Kand carries a short chain-.shaft N mounted in bearings at This shaftreceives power from the yshaft K through bevel-wheels O O and itenga-ges with the chain P which extends to the .distant end 4of thecutter-bar. there being Va second chain-shaft N mounted upon theaforesaid frame m m or immediately behind the end of the cutter-bar.

W'hen the machine is in operation, the motion of the shaft K K istransmitted through wheels Q O Aand shaft N to the chain which is causedto `engage with the .slack or cuttings made by the bar `and .draw themout from the kerf `and into and across the open space between Itheground and the bed and thus prevent them from piling up near the face ofthe coal. The carriage is advanced upon the bedframe while the cuttingis being effected by means of the following devices.

Q represents a cylinder which is mounted upon :the bed in the :rear ofthe carriage. It .is provided with .a piston R and a piston-rod An air,steam, kor other motive agent can be admitted .to it from the feed-pipe.at T. The cylinder is united .to the carriage-.plate f by 12o -a hingelatq.

In Figs. 11 to 13 a machine is illustrated modi-fied `as to thepowerdevices. Instead of IOO IIO

-empioyinganenginm l mount on the Acarriage .anelectric .motor H, having.itsarrnature-shaft I 2 5 l .provided with :a wonm 4J', engaging withand actuating aworm-wheel J rlfhis latter wheel J `is on .a cross-shaftwhich yis provided with a spur-wheel 'meshing .on .a smaller wheel on.

.an intemnzediate shaft, which in turn dri-ves 13o .gear-wheel .J2 lon.shaft iK. shaft `is mounted .bearings or standards The armaturewhichproject upward from the carriage-plate. The other parts of the machineare similar to those in the machine above described.

The operation of the machine will be readily understood from the abovedescription and on examining the drawings.

The machine is placed so that the carriage shall move substantiallyparallel to the wall of coal, the cutter-bar being inserted into anunder-cut produced in any preferred way.

The bed is put into the desired position by means of the adjustingdevices. Generally it will want to be substantially horizontal, but notalways, for, as is Well known, the veins of the coal vary in theirposition relative to the horizon. It is desirable to have the kerfformed as near the bottom of the vein as possible, so as to avoid thenecessity of subsequently removing the layer of coal between the kerfand the floor. Themeans of adjustment which I provide areof value inthis connection. If the circumstances are such that the carriage canmake a long traverse on vthe bed, the cross connecting parts B B areslipped along the parts A A to the required vby adding sections in frontor in the rear if necessary, so that a cut can be made the whole lengthof the long wall virtually without removing the machine at all, althoughit is true both the carriage and the bed will change their positions byreason of the onward travel of the carriage and by reason of consecutiveadding of sections to the front ends of the side supports and removingsections from time to time from the rear end if necessary. Aftersections have been added to the side supports in front, thecross-connecting parts B B with their jack-screws and adj usting-screwscan be released from the roof and loosened relatively to the bed, andagain slipped forward and then fastened to both bed, roof and floor foranother onward movement of the carriage. After the bed has been put intoproper position firmly, the air or other motive agent is admitted to thecylinders H and also to the feeding-cylinders Q. The engines through thecrank-shaft I and the gear-ivlieels J J J 2 transmit rotary motion tothe cutter-bar K K and at the saine time the carriage is pressed forwardby means of the feed-cylinder and piston.

It is well known that there are serious obj ections to any of theordinary positive feeds, such as racks and pinion, threaded bars andnuts, &c.,on account of the varying resistance offered by the materialattached by the cutters. These difficulties have been particularlyserious in attempting to operate long-wall cutting-machines asheretofore made, because the sudden increase in resistance made atfrequent intervals by the cutting apparatus gives sudden reactionarystrains on the carriage and bedframe, and this has been the caseheretofore to such an extent that, as is well known, there has neverbeen any successful long-wall cutting-ma-V Vwhich the carriage shall beadvanced by an agency adapted to yield if the resistance to the cuttersshould increase beyond a certain degree. In operation, the carriage andcutter-bar advance through the softer material with a speed proportionalto its hardness and proportional to the pressure in the feed-cylinder Qand to its several dimensions. If substances such as sulphur balls orveins are met by the cutters and they resist the advance of the cutterswith a back-pressure too great for the lastdescribed ratio, the feeddevice will remain more or less nearly stationary; but the cutterscontinue revolving at a high rate of speed, in fact at a somewhat higherspeed than when they were advancing With a normal rapidity, and thislincrease in the speed of the cutters when cutting through a harder bodyI have found to be a matter of great advantage. After the obstructingmass has been passed, the airfeed device will again press the carriageforward.

Although I have shown in the drawings a machine of the longwall-cuttingtype and have above referred to that class more particularly, yet itwill be seen that a number of the features of my invention can bereadily applied to machines of the other form-to Wit, theheading-machines-to advantage. Thus, for instance, I believe myself tobe the first to have arranged the three essential elements of amininginacliineto wit, the stationary bed, the carriage, andthecuttingapparatus-dn the way I have shown and described whether thecutting apparatus is thrust forward in front or projected laterally.Itis Well known that one of the chief objects with undercutting-machineslis to produce the herf as near the floor-line as possible.

In the present construction, it will be seen I virtually suspend thecutting apparatus below the carriage and below the bed, and by thedevices which accomplish this and those which effect the verticaladjustment the cutters can be taken as close to the floonline as isdesired. The engines project above the bed and the cutting apparatuslies below the bed so that the parts of the carriage are well balancedand cramping or binding on the bed is avoided, the feeding device beingapplied between the power mechanism and the cutE ting apparatus.However, in this respect, there can be more or less modification withoutdeparting from the essential features of the invention.

That I claim is- IOO IIO

l, In a mining ynfraohrre, the eombinarop. with the horizontally movingCarriage argl the Cutting apparatus thereon, of the bed hagpg Clampingdevices for seeming elle maelrae to elle rooi and to @he loor of allemine, meagre, Tier adjusting the bafl relapively to the :floor and twoparallel eide rapporte far the ge ranged horizontally and ee-erga@mflepead early of each .other ao @ha elampilg leviees., a reeelmeehaniem ior moving the riage relar-ivelyro the leed, and gearag formating the careers While @ha .eafri ee le acl vaneng., .eubepantially,ser forth.

In a mining maehpa che eombipalfpn with elle earl-lage ami alle pairingapparapae thereon, of "bed having parallel egliepaible Side Supports:for alle aarriagg aprl erase Supporpa sleraollably gommate@ to both yof .Said parallel eide grrpperpg, alla epppprb on gifle being mor/'able-ipldepepdeaply gf alla@ .en elle other., eaelr being 7previfiled al;:the Wrh moana .Splostap-tally as get fertig for Qiriag it 11o .emmer.similar eeppertrviherelvy The lated .earl be egrenrleel,.eplretapbialfly ae Soie fiorell- 3. Ina mining grappige, @heambigua-pion:

with the carriage and purging appapaps of abecl haringparallelexeenglele eige @apporre l formed of hollow -urloipga arret thearnese para or infames pletaollaby seorrrefl to the yea-lrl aapf portsinside .of their ende, gai@ erase. boingsppportedon elle :floorlzrreeperafleplyef f each other .andai pheeirle Supper-fee, :spbspaa Sparallel .te ariel bellied elle .errater parJ rlle .ta-ll? as set form.

.4. Ina mi-ning machine, elle emplearlog with the earriage and theopening .apparaif s i thereon., of :the bed haring alle @roes bars orreal lines no .the roof 2 and Hoor Aof rho mino, and phehiorizoppal Side1 supports for .the Xearrage formeel .of .hollorv .tubesipseebons.dehaehable from eaeh other, and .cleaohably secured .inllorrzopfealaeaie in the said erf-oss pars orrames 1eme@ gto-E .andeylrrfler, l the .eylimer being hinged te plaeearrage arl. atllle piepenpearl-,11gagainst frames .clamped on ver gather by mlresifneertecl into@hose aforesaid, subsoemtarl y Ina mining machine., alle eomilonationlwith the horizontally mowmg @mago and the cutting yal)Ilaraa.S shereorl,of lille :bed

- 7.. la ami lng readline: elle Combination with the garrlage and the.earring appararue, of the, lle-.Cl ha-Yigg the Side .Supporte for theearriage orraefl lef hollew rapes .irl seerielre paired lo epd afp-.delle grose @opneming pieeee .ereg aflapiefl ra Slide ,longitudivrra-illy in `erlrer d' etoa lepg elle eide eupperrg, ape :OY-er e jointbegreep @he lube geelpge., ae per 4 rer-r1.1.-

:8- la a leeg Wall gr gifle-erw raining me- -pzlge eemlrpapioa withfille side .Suppere ,rl .AQ of @he boil, e? alle er. Se 1eoprreerrrg'bare .B B, laarpg epee or gardes rlre. laterally 'proie-.etang or armel)J elle elampe C fer birding Sale elarepemhe .SereWe D', argl ille orbipelpg Sererre' E, Sub- ;ially as Sep prllr,

\.9 Irl a piping 'maelrpe alle webinar-ion .t-lge 'bed a-.nel alle.ear-r,a-ge9 0f the larerally prf-.ejeeipg garter bar,- rlle CleanerChair -johaip slaafr :prepararse .to elle entrer r r parare@ theperrelrrheele reepeeively 011 Said ter par anclealfl Shaft eorrleererl,Cl ely pegerher, errbealrrally as set forth.

l0.. In .a ,wiping maelape, elle .Combination righehe b eel, @heearriage Slielipg thereon, .and meapg fseeprlpg said bed slarenarily toalle ileor .am roof, of lille feeding meehapiem for .elleoarragegenesring of a pieren IOO

